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The document outlines the limitations and complexities of reforestation as a climate strategy, emphasizing that avoiding deforestation is generally faster and cheaper than planting new trees. It highlights the importance of using native species, the role of indigenous peoples in carbon sequestration, and the physical limits of available reforestable land. The guide advises journalists to scrutinize survival rates and land ownership rather than relying on the number of trees planted.

The IEU report for February to May 2026 outlines the progress of several independent evaluations, including those on gender, the Project Preparation Facility, and the private sector. It highlights the ongoing Third Performance Review (TPR) and the LORTA impact evaluation programme, which supports 23 evaluations. The Unit also reports on its strategic engagement with other multilateral climate funds, the use of AI in evaluation synthesis, and its budget expenditure, which stood at 19% (USD 1.5 million) of the annual budget as of 30 April 2026.

The report inventories nature-based solutions (NbS) in Uganda since 2015, noting that these interventions are distributed across diverse ecosystems including wetlands, forests, and savannahs. It highlights that NbS projects typically address coupled societal challenges—such as food insecurity and water stress—and focus on reducing habitat degradation rather than species-specific conservation. While social inclusion is present, the report notes it is uneven across the project portfolio.

The document analyzes the transition of the EU's Regulation on Deforestation-free products (EUDR) into a new implementation phase following a May 2026 simplification review. It highlights the tension between regulatory compliance and the need for broader international cooperation on forest finance and trade. While the EUDR aims to ensure seven key commodities are deforestation-free, challenges remain regarding the administrative burden on smallholders and the lack of alignment between trade regulations and large-scale finance mechanisms like the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF). The author argues that the global response to deforestation requires a coherent system that bridges regulatory ambition with financial and technical support for producer countries.

The research examines the 2012 Brazilian New Forest Code and the 2022 Chilean Water Code reform to demonstrate how economic elites intentionally design weak institutions. By analyzing legislative debates and elite interviews, the author argues that environmental degradation can result from regulations that are designed to be ineffective, even when fully enforced, regardless of whether the legislative environment is ideologically cohesive or fragmented.

The document argues that forests are essential 'natural insurance' against climate change, yet they remain underfunded, receiving only 4% of international climate finance. The author calls for tropical countries to prioritize zero deforestation and for high-income nations to transform consumption patterns and supply chains. The text advocates for a sustainable bioeconomy and binding accountability mechanisms, citing the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF) as a potential starting point for paying for standing forests.

The report argues that forests and trees are essential allies to agriculture, providing critical regulation of climate, water, and ecosystem functions. It challenges the perception of forests and agriculture as competing land uses, demonstrating that synergies between the two are vital for sustainable agrifood system transformation and the support of crops and rural workers.

The document examines conservation efforts in the Santa Fe and Alto Acre communities of Pando, Bolivia, highlighting the role of Brazil nut harvesting and diversified livelihoods in protecting the Amazon rainforest.

The Sapara Nation in Ecuador manages 322,029 hectares of high-biodiversity rainforest through a spiritual cosmovision and traditional governance. While the community of Llanchamacocha has established strict conservation zones like Kamunguishi and sustainable ecotourism via the Naku project, they face significant threats from oil exploration (specifically blocks 79 and 83), illegal logging, and internal fragmentation. State-led incentive programs like Socio Bosque (PSB) have provided financial support but also triggered internal conflicts over benefit distribution. The document argues that long-term conservation requires full legal land titling, respect for Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), and financing mechanisms that align with indigenous spiritual values and autonomy.

The community of San Francisco Telixtlahuaca in Oaxaca, Mexico, maintains significant forest cover through a strong communal governance system and collaboration with municipal authorities. While the community no longer identifies as Indigenous and lacks formal protected area status, it is motivated to conserve forests to protect water and soil. Conservation is primarily funded by federal payments for environmental services (PSA), though the community faces challenges regarding technical documentation, urban expansion, and river pollution. While unaware of the OECM framework, community members expressed openness to it if it provides technical and financial support without imposing new restrictions.

The document examines ACOMAD, an association of 15 members managing 16 forest concessions (approximately 171,424 hectares) in the Manu-Tambopata corridor of Madre de Dios, Peru. It highlights the contrast between the highly resourced Los Amigos conservation concession—the first recognized OECM in Peru—and other members who rely on limited self-funding or sporadic international aid. Key challenges include illegal mining, illicit crops, land trafficking, and a lack of consistent state supervision by OSINFOR. The report argues for stronger public institutional support, official recognition of Technical Forestry and Wildlife Administrations (ATFFS) as Regional Authorities (ARFFS), and the development of sustainable economic models such as ecotourism and non-timber forest products (e.g., Brazil nuts and aguaje) to ensure long-term conservation viability.

The briefing presents an economic case for investing in natural capital, asserting that nature-based solutions can provide over 50% of the cost-effective global mitigation needed for a 2°C pathway. It highlights that wetlands and forests generate trillions in annual ecosystem services, far exceeding the costs of their protection and the adaptation finance needs of developing countries. The text notes that while rehabilitating nature and transforming food systems can yield returns between 6.8 and 51 times the investment, current financial flows remain misaligned, with significant funding still directed toward harmful environmental subsidies.

The Tropical Forests Forever Facility (TFFF) has launched with an initial $5 billion to reward countries and Indigenous communities for forest protection, with a long-term goal of reaching $125 billion to generate $4 billion in annual funding. Additionally, the Forest and Land Tenure Pledge secured $1.8 billion from four governments and various foundations to support Indigenous land protection. In Indonesia, the government committed to quadrupling the recognition of Indigenous lands to 1.4 million hectares of customary forests. Despite these gains, the document notes that nature receives less than 3% of total climate finance, despite representing 37% of the climate solution.

The report identifies 30 international financial mechanisms totaling US$ 25.9 billion intended for tropical forests. It highlights a significant funding gap compared to the US$ 66.8 billion annual requirement estimated by UNEP, noting that 31% of identified funds remain unissued or undisbursed. The analysis reveals that while conservation is the most common focus, restoration offers high potential for private and blended finance, and REDD+ jurisdictional mechanisms account for over half of the total identified financing.

The report maps 30 international financial mechanisms totaling US$ 25.9 billion aimed at tropical forests, highlighting a significant funding gap compared to the US$ 66.8 billion annual need identified by UNEP. It analyzes the roles of various actors, the prevalence of result-based payments like REDD+, and the geographic concentration of funds in Latin America, specifically Brazil and Guyana.

The document highlights the deployment of a cattle traceability program in Pará, Brazil, and a proposed traceability bill in Colombia to combat 'cattle laundering' and deforestation. It warns that the Amazon Soy Moratorium is under threat from a Brazilian anti-competition body ruling and discusses the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF), for which Brazil has committed $1 billion, though the author argues $25 billion is needed to achieve necessary scale.

The World Resources Institute (WRI) received unmodified audit opinions for its consolidated financial statements and its major federal program for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025. Total assets decreased from $538.4 million in 2024 to $436.9 million in 2025, while total net assets fell from $489.4 million to $390.8 million. The Institute's programmatic spending for 2025 totaled $274.9 million, with the largest expenditures directed toward 'Food, Forests and Water, Ocean' and 'Climate, Economics, and Finance'. Federal expenditures for 2025 totaled $9.1 million, primarily funded by the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development. The auditor identified no material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting or compliance for major federal programs.

This report examines a toolkit of regulatory and economic policy instruments used to curb deforestation and promote forest restoration in tropical regions. It analyzes the effectiveness of command-and-control measures, financial incentives, and the critical role of land tenure security, while highlighting how political cycles and electoral incentives create risks for long-term conservation success.

Researchers from CPI/PUC-RIO developed a dynamic economic model to evaluate the additionality of REDD projects in the Brazilian Amazon, moving beyond traditional statistical baselines. The study finds that 77% of the carbon stock in these projects is additional, meaning it would have been emitted without the projects, avoiding 0.5 Gt of CO2 equivalent. However, additionality varies by region, with significantly lower rates in forested and isolated areas, such as Portel, Pará, where low agricultural productivity makes deforestation unlikely even without carbon credits. The report argues that while some non-additionality exists, the low price of REDD credits (US$ 5 to US$ 15 per ton) limits the financial impact of these discrepancies compared to other carbon pricing mechanisms.

The report introduces a dynamic economic model to determine the additionality of REDD projects in the Brazilian Amazon, finding that 77% of the carbon traded is additional. It highlights regional variations, noting higher additionality in agribusiness-consolidated areas and lower additionality in isolated regions like Portel, while suggesting that higher carbon prices would further increase additionality rates.